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Monday, December 12, 2011

Giveaway Day!

Here's the promised giveaway (and it corresponds with Sew Mama Sew's giveaway day, so I'm participating in that)! I've never done one before (or won one, for that matter!), so it's about time.

I'm giving away this lovely pattern:

The copyright on it is 1950, and it's a size 14 (32 Bust, 35 Hip). The description on the back says "Straight-front skirt has back fullness. Slight gathers from diagonal front darts, and from panel back. Skirt joins bodice at waist-line. Gathered inset yoke in front. Deep V-neck-line. Kimono cap sleeves."

How beautiful is this dress?

So, I'll be picking my wedding dress up from the cleaners this week, and I have no idea what to do with it. I'm not the kind of girl who wants to hang on to a perfectly gorgeous dress that I'll never wear again just for sentiment's sake. Unless it's a book, I'm just not a knick-knack or keepsake kind of person, and someone else could wear and love my gown. So my giveaway will simultaneously benefit me (with all of your wonderful ideas) and one of you!

Here are the rules for the giveaway:
1. Leave a comment about what you did with your wedding dress after the wedding, or what you think I should do with mine.
2. You have to have a way I can contact you (email, or a link to a blog profile with your email in it).
3. If you win, you cannot sell the pattern. If you decide at some point that you no longer want it, you have to pass on the love to someone else in a giveaway or gift.
4. The giveaway is open until December 16, at 5:00 PM ET and will be announced on December 18.

Edit: updated December 18

The winner of my pattern giveaway was determined by a random number generator. Number 23, JP, wrote, "My dress is hanging in the front closet :) It didn't cost very much and isn't huge, so it's just hanging there, not taking up very much room. But you could recycle it into special dresses for kids or satin pillows or sheets!"

Congratulations, JP! I'll email you you as well.

Thank you all for your thoughtful comments! I hope you all won something from Giveaway Day at Sew Mama Sew.

51 comments:

I just boxed up my wedding dress. I just saw a unique dress display on pinterest where the dress was in a very large picture frame at the bottom of a flight of stairs. It looked very lovely and not at all cheesy.

Lovely pattern! I haven't done anything with my dress six years later. It's still on a hanger. I'm entertaining the idea of dyeing it and wearing it again for a vow renewal down the road. If it wasn't white, you wouldn't pigeon-hole it as a wedding dress, so I think it could be worn again. simplybeu@gmail.com

My wedding dress has been boxed and in a closet at my parents house for almost 25 years. If we had not already had a family heirloom Christening gown I would have made one from my wedding dress when I had children.

I know a few ladies that kept their dress until they had a baby. Then they used the material from their wedding dress to make a baptism/christening gown. The baby gowns came out beautifully! Thanks for the giveaway! robyn(dot)geddes(at)gmail(dot)com

I don't have a wedding dress as I am not yet married but I saw the same display that zilredloh is talking about on pinterest and it is lovely. If you're not into displaying your dress, maybe you could actually donate it to one of those organizations that helps women/girls get special occasion clothing they wouldn't otherwise be able to afford (that is, of course, if you could part with the dress!)

Lovely pattern, the detail on the back of the skirt is delicious. I have no wedding dress but I think I'd probably sell it on, or maybe find some charity to give it to so that it would continue to live on. When I do get married, I'll probably look for a second-hand dress to begin with.Love Robyn's idea as well though - making christening gowns out of it...

I love the pattern - it would only be my second vintage one! Well, I used to be a singer, and for a show, the soprano (diva, of course) needed a white dress so she could "feel" the part. I (very stupidly) volunteered my Italian made silk wedding gown, and there are still black marks from the stage on the skirt. It's now cleaned as best it could be and in storage. For what? Sentimental reasons, although my 8yr old DD3 has announced she'll be wearing it. We'll see....

My wedding dress is boxed and under a bed at my mom's house. I really want to sell it (or donate it!) but she's holding it hostage. She thinks someone will want to wear it someday and I think she's nuts!

I agree with altering it or dying it if you're not sentimental about it. You could shorten it and add some colored accessories. My wedding dress was red, so it was a bit more versatile; I have worn it a couple of times post-wedding.

I got married in Thailand so I borrowed a traditional Thai wedding dress from our wedding coordinator there. We did do a small family ceremony in the States afterwards and I wore a vintage dress from the 1950s. It wasn't a traditional wedding dress so it's still hanging in my closet.

My wedding dress was a simple, bias-cut silk gown in pale, dusty pink(!) I could totally wear it again if I ever went to a formal event, but I never have. It's still hanging in my closet. Merry Christmas!

Honestly, my wedding dress is sitting in a closet at my father's house... I have 4 unmarried sisters, so perhaps one of them will want it? I'm not particularly attached to it (especially as I ended up getting a divorce) but it is a gorgeous dress!

That is an absolutely lovely pattern! To answer your question, I made my wedding dress and could not part with it, but I am also not sentimental about material things. My plan is to use it to make Christening gowns for our future children.

I took apart my ENTIRE dress and recycled it in various projects. I died the beaded front of the bodice black and made a clutch (front) & small framed handbag. The satin skirt was used in my daughter's Chtistening gown, and the crinoline and tr,ain were incorporated into her Communion dress. More tulle from it was used in my grandaughter's holiday dress last year. My youngest daughter's 8th grade dance dress is literally on the drawing board, and I'm planning on dying the covered buttons from the gown for it. I love reusing garments, love dying and often buy thrift store gowns just for the yards of great fabric at a great price.

You can donate your dress to a woman who can't afford one. Or you can reconstruct it into a little dress for a future daughter or grand daughter?This pattern is my size!!! Love it;)solsmom(at)gmail(dot)com

My dress is hanging in the front closet :) It didn't cost very much and isn't huge, so it's just hanging there, not taking up very much room. But you could recycle it into special dresses for kids or satin pillows or sheets!

Please send a note to jp@mailinator.com if I win! I'd rather not put my real email address out publicly in case spambots are harvesting the emails for nefarious purposes :$

Love Vogue patterns. I still have my wedding dress. It's based on a 1915 tea dress and totally waer-again-able. I adore it and could never give it away. Why don't you hang in on a wall like people do with vintage kimonos. (I don't know how big the dress is). I think as a daughter it would be nice to have the option to get married in my mother's dress... naomijoynz AT gmail DOT com

My wedding dress was dry cleaned and boxed up. Because I am sure that my currently 4 year old daughter will grow up and want to wear it when she has a traditional white wedding. Luckily it is classic rather than 90s fashion so I am in with a chance ;)

My wedding dress is hanging in my closet. I need to get it cleaned and pack it away better. My dd although only 6 wants to wear it one day. I have to say I had the option of wearing my mom's gown, but it was honestly not my style. I have seen some beautiful things done with gowns, quilts, dresses for younger girls, but I still don't know if I want to hang on to mine for ever or do something with it. It does seem a shame for it to hang in a closet and not get admired.

Hmm.. My family used to pass down wedding dresses and customise it.. My grandma wore her mothers, my aunt wore my grandmothers (and then lost it!!!) and my mom has hers. My other aunt, however, didn't like the idea of just having a dress that you spend a lot on and then never wear again so she used to wear it at Thanksgiving and Christmas.. so funny. If you don't want to keep it I would say donate it to a charity that is personal to you.. Or turn it into something that you do want to keep.. Maybe cover your wedding album in the fabric?

My wedding dress is hanging in the back of my closet (where it has hung for 6 years!) I intend to cut it up a bit, and make something "keepsake" for each of my daughters to incorporate into their future wedding celebrations. But, before I do that, I'd like to have a fun photo shoot with my girls playing dress up in my gown. I saw the idea on Pinterest and thought it was so sweet!Best,Michelledaydreambelievershop(at)gmail(dot)com

I hope you keep the dress. If you are absolutely sure you will never wear it again, or will not want to pass it down to someone, why not dye or alter it to make it more of a cocktail/evening dress. I think you will be glad to have it down the road!

I got married in a white shirt dress (very low-key wedding); it hung in my closet forever, then I decided to cut it into squares and embroider things from my marriage (27 years now!) that mean something to us.

Love that Vogue pattern! Thanks for the chance to win, and congrats on your marriage.

I made my wedding dress for an outdoor park wedding and it was a 2 piece. So I actually wear the top. The skirt is made out of imported Chinese Brocade that my grandfather got for me, so I'm scared to do anything with it. It's still hanging in my closet. Maybe I'll read some of the suggestions here and finally do something with it :D

I am not married but if you aren't attached to it, I'd donate it. There are a lot of great organizations around the world who take wedding dresses to impoverished communities. So many women out there want a traditional western wedding but can't afford them. The donation helps them to realize at least part of it! Thanks for this great opportunity- the dress is GORGEOUS!

I plan to wear my dress again at some point as it is a 50s day dress and not too wedding-y. I really love it though, so hope to get the chance to wear it again!Thanks for the giveaway - lovely pattern.

I rented my wedding dress (it's normal in my country to rent rather than buy). It's very nice that you get to keep your wedding dress. I'd say pass it to your future daughter/favourite little girl/favourite girl nephew!

how cool! I love 50's patterns :) We just had our 1st anniversary last month and since I made my wedding dress I did a whole series of blog posts on how I made it. Sadly it is simply bagged up and put back into the closet for now, but I have known people who dress up for their anniversary every year and take a photo as a couple. My dress needs some mending and my husband felt awkward not having the exact suit he wore to the wedding (rental) so we didn't do it, but I still think it sounds fun. kbroadd1 -at- gmail -dot- com

Lovely lovely pattern, I am soooo drooling over those gathers! Why don't they make women's clothing like that anymore? Anyway, for your wedding dress I would suggest gifting it to a young lady who could not otherwise afford a nice dress for her wedding. I am sure she would never forget your kind gesture.

The pattern is amazing. I put my dress in a garment bag and then into a plastic storage bin. I'm keeping it forever! My dress is fairly small to store, though, plus my mom made the lace jacket I wore over it.

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About Me

I am obsessed with books. I love everything about them, from the stories they contain to the way they smell to the weight of a well-bound book in my hands. I'm learning to bind books, and in the learning I'm discovering the craftiness and creativity that's languished unused in my hands for so long. :) I'm also teaching myself to sew, so that I can bind books in style, and sewing is quickly becoming another passion of mine.